Kadyrov avoids mass Chechen deployment despite pledging loyalty to Putin

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has refrained from sending Chechens to the front in large numbers despite publicly supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine, according to a source cited by The Economist. Kadyrov aims to avoid sacrificing his people for the "Russian world," while also using the conflict to solidify his power and suppress dissent.

He frequently makes inflammatory statements against the West and declares his loyalty to Putin. Kadyrov has claimed that Chechnya has contributed over 70,880 fighters to the war, which would represent nearly 9% of the republic's male population—higher than any other Russian region. However, independent media outlet Mediazona has recorded only 539 Chechen deaths, accounting for just 0.2% of Russia's total military fatalities despite representing 1.1% of the country's population.

Many Chechens are hesitant to participate in the conflict, given the atrocities committed by Russian forces during previous wars in Chechnya. Kadyrov's genuine critics have been either killed or exiled, and he employs the war as a means to test the loyalty of others. Some suspected opponents, like Apti Alaudinov, have been appointed to high-ranking positions within Chechen special forces units fighting in Ukraine, often without genuine combat experience.

Kadyrov's use of the war as an instrument of repression has led to the forced mobilization of certain individuals deemed undesirable, including criminals, relatives of opposition figures, people with alcohol issues, and the LGBTQ+ community. Some Chechens have volunteered for military service, believing the West instigated the wars in both Ukraine and Chechnya.